I'm in Bloodksal Barrow with Illia. Problem is, I can't get her past the swinging axe room before Zahkriisos. She just casually walks through the axes and promptly gets killed every time. Any ideas on how I'm supposed to get her out of this alive?

Bonus question: Why are followers so dumb?

Can you tell her to wait? If so, do that, then go ahead through the trap, pull the switch at the end to stop the blades, come back, and tell her to follow you again.

Unless that particular trap doesn't have a switch... I can't remember.

Since she's a follower, only you can kill her. The swinging axes can't.

They're not dumb, they know they're safe from anyone but the player.

There's a lever to open a gate but none to stop the axes. And traps can kill followers - these axes have killed her about 10 times already. Guess I'll just have to load an earlier save and make her wait somewhere while I go through the barrow. Pretty annoying.

Edit: After half and hour of careful nudging + saving and reloading, I got her through. What a stupid corridor. Note to self: never bring non-essential follower through raven rock mine again.